Get to Know: Tillamook County

Get to Know: Tillamook County

When Nan Devlin became Tillamook County’s first tourism director of Visit Tillamook Coast in 2014, she had one demand: Ban boring meetings!

And she promises that when you meet in Tillamook County, “You won’t be locked inside a sterile hotel complex. You’ll be able to walk around the villages, enjoy great views and great local food, and have outdoor activities at your fingertips.”

The Tillamook coast is composed of 14 towns and several villages stretching along Oregon’s coast from Neskowin in the south to Manzanita in the north. In between are miles of picturesque bays, inland waterways and ocean beaches, along with a number of opportunities for entertainment, such as breweries, shopping and tours of Oregon’s famed Tillamook Cheese Factory (with free samples, no less!).

A fifth-generation Oregonian, Devlin grew up in Portland and now lives in Barview. One of her favorite things to do is stroll along Bayocean Spit and Kilchis Point Reserve and watch the fishers in their boats. She loves the commitment of the area’s residents to preserving the environment, “not just for the natural beauty, but to sustain livelihoods and livability. Fishing, forestry, farming, dairy foods and tourism all rely on protecting natural resources.”

Here are three decidedly “nonboring” reasons to consider the Tillamook coast for your next meeting:

1. There are approximately 10 main meeting venues in the Tillamook coast area, along with several smaller meeting rooms. Spaces range from a large county fairground facility to intimate historic properties with modern amenities, as well as oceanfront banquet rooms.

2. Tillamook County offers approximately 1,200 guest rooms, which run the gamut from moderately priced full-service hotels to luxury vacation homes.

3. The area’s surroundings play host to a wide range of activities, including kayaking, fishing, crabbing, hiking, rail riding, hang gliding, geocaching, biking and horseback riding, as well as eco-tours on land and water.